Impact of first-stage ambulation on mode of delivery among women with epidural analgesia.

Background: New techniques for administering epidural analgesia allow increased mobility for labouring women with epidurals.

Objective: To determine the effect of ambulation or upright positions in the first stage of labour among women with epidural analgesia on mode of delivery and other maternal and infant outcomes.

Methods: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT) of ambulation or upright positions versus recumbency in the first stage of labour among women with effective first-stage epidural analgesia in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Trials were identified by searching Medline, Embase and CINAHL databases and the Cochrane Trials Register to March 2004. Trial eligibility and outcomes were prespecified. Group tabular data were obtained for each trial and analysed using meta-analytic techniques.

Results: There were five eligible RCT, with a total of 1161 women. There was no statistically significant difference in the mode of delivery when women with an epidural ambulated in the first stage of labour compared with those who remained recumbent: instrumental delivery (relative risk (RR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.44) and Caesarean section (RR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.70-1.19). There were no significant differences between the groups in use of oxytocin augmentation, the duration of labour, satisfaction with analgesia or Apgar scores. There were no apparent adverse effects of ambulation, but data were reported by only a few trials.

Conclusions: Although ambulation in the first stage of labour for women with epidural analgesia provided no clear benefit to delivery outcomes or satisfaction with analgesia, neither were there are any obvious harms.